The alert began on Tuesday night after the man discovered a suspect object in the Ballyheather Road area. Police and army bomb experts were called in as the road was sealed off and remained closed overnight.

The security alert continued yesterday morning before the area was eventually declared safe.

PSNI Chief Inspector Alan Hutton said: "This device could have caused death or serious injury to anyone close by if it had exploded.

"At this stage, we are keeping an open mind as to who left the device."

Police confirmed that the alarm was raised after a man walking in the area spotted the device and reported it.

It is believed it may have been there for some time.

"While we have not established a motive or identified the intended target, clearly there can be no justification for attempts to cause death or injury," the officer said.

SDLP councillor Patsy Kelly said: "We don't know who left this device or why they left it here and it is beyond me why anyone would leave a device on a quiet rural road."